Adjustable top for boats and the like



Jan. l2, 1965 P. L.. FOSTER ADJUSTABLE TOP FOR BOATS AND THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2l, 1962 INVENTOR Pau/ L. Foser Jan. 12, 1965P. L. FOSTER ADJUSTABLE TOP F' OR BOATS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Dec. 2l, 1962 INVENTOR Pau/ L. Foster United States Patent O3,155,111 ADZUSTABLE TOP FOR BATS AND LIKE Paul L. Foster, 2237 riunisAve., Memphis, Tenn.

' Filed Dec. 21, 1962, Ser. No. 246,42S

3 Claims. A(lill. 13S-6) short of the claims made for them. They areusually not adjustable as they may rst appear to be, or else they arediicult to install, or otherwise put into place.

It is, therefore, a primary object'of this invention to provide anadjustable top for boats and the like that can be extended or reduced inlength, width, or height, according to the size of the boat on which itis placed.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adinstable top forboats and the like that can be folded and stored in a minimum of time aswell as set up in approximately the same length of time.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable top forboats and the like that can also be installed on open bodied trucks, orany other vehicle, requiring a soft top for protection from theelements.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable top forboats and the like that can be mass produced at a cost of interest toanyone having need for a removable top for his boat or land basedvehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable top forboats and the likethat will not jam as it is being raised or lowered.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable topfor boats and the like, having a frame from which it is not necessary toremove the canvas top when taking the same off a boat. Still anotherobject of this invention is to provide an adjustable top for boats andthe like that can have side curtains secured to the same without thenecessity of making changes to its structure.

Other and further objects and advantages of this adjustable top forboats and the like Will` be hereinafter described, and the novelfeatures thereof defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE l is a side view of a typical open boat with this inventioninstalled on the same lalong with side curtains.

FIGURE 2 is a view taken in section on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, dashlines showing horizontal and vertical extension of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a pictorial view of a portion of this invention with thecanvas removed andthe device in a folded position.

FIGURE 4 is taken in section on line 1*4 or FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a view taken in section on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a view taken in section on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is an optional form of construction to replace that shown inFIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a side view of this invention mounted on a small boat butwithout side curtains.

FIGURE 9 is a side view of still another adaptation of this invention toa small boat.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawing in detail, there is generallyindicated by the character 14, a typical in- 3,155,1ll Patented Jan. l2,T955 .ICC

verted U-shaped frame embodying a vertically-mountedV tubular post oneach sidethereof, in the upper end of which is slidably located tube 16,having its upper end terminate in a hinged right angle tube 17, which inturn is hinged to a horizontally disposed tube 18, that receives thecentrally located horizontally disposed telescoping tube 19, which ishinged to a center tube 20. The hinged telescoping tubes 19 are givenadditional rigidity (other than by thehinges) by means of the lock strap21, which is swingably secured to the underside of oney of the aforesaidtelescoping tubes 19 by means of a rivet,

14 are noted in the appended drawings by the reference numeral 23, whilethe thumb screws that hold each tube 16 in one of the vertically mountedtubular posts 15 are noted by the reference numeral 24. Thumb screws 25lock the horizontally disposed tubes 18 to the telescoping tubes 19 asbest shown in FIGURE 2 of the appended drawings.

The lower end of each one of the aforesaid tubular posts 15 isvertically mounted on the deck of the boat by an interesting and novelconnection that is fully illustrated in FIGURE 6, Where it is seen thata carriage bolt 25 that has its body 27 screwed into the lowermost endof the aforesaid tubular post 15, to which it is doubly by means of acotter pin 28. The head 29 of the carriage bolt 26, is located insideone of the tracks 30, which is secured to the deck of a boat of aplurality of wood screws (which are not given any reference numberssince they are not an actual part of this invention), or by any otherdesired means of securement. The track 30, is formed from sheet metal orthe like into structural member, having an end viewed configuration of ahollow rectangle with a centrally located rectangular opening 31 in thetop portion thereof. The body 27 of the carriage bolt 26 slidably passesupward through the opening 31, as is clearly shown in FIGURE 6 of theappended drawing. A wing nut 32 on the aforesaid carriage bolt 26 locksthe bolt 26 and the frame of which it is a part in place on the track30, while a nut 33 on the same bolt serves as a lock nut to make theconnection between tubular post 15 and bolt 26 more secure. Theaforesaid track is suitably secured to each side of the deck 34 of theboat that is characterized in the drawings by the reference letter B. Acut-out 35 is provided in the top 36 of the track 30, for the removal ofthe head 29 of the carriage bolt 26 and the frame to which it isattached when this invention is disassambled for storage or otherreasons.

Commercial obtainable snap fasteners 37 may have one member secured tothe outside 38 of .the track 30, for the securement of side curtains 39,if it is so desired, to add side curtains to the top if the boat is outin inclement weather. A snap-over center brace 4l), can be installed inthe manner shown in FIGURE 1 of the appended drawings, if so desired, asit may very vrll be, if the top is extended the full length of the boatAn optional form of mounting this adjustable top, which consists of tWoor more of the spaced inverted U- shaped frames 14, consists of placingthe aforesaid track 30 on the side 41 of the boat, as one can see onexamination of FIGURE 7 of the appended drawings, where the carriagebolt 26 is bent at right angle to the deck of the boat. Boats beingbuilt with the idea of having this novel top mounted thereon may verywell have their decks or sides grooved to receive the head 29 of thecarriage bolt 26 thereby doing away with the need of the aforesaidtracks 30.

Although the construction and erection of the framework of thisadjustable top for boats and the like has beendescribed in detail alongwith alternate forms of construction, and although the side curtainshave been l s mentioned, nothing has so far been said about the actualYtop itself, which may be of any desired material such as canvas. Thetop which is noted in the appended drawing by the reference numeral 42,may be secured to the horizontallyy disposed portions of the invertedU-shaped frames 14!!k by means of leather straps 1153, which are shownonly in FlGURE 1 of the drawing.V The windshield 44 may be secured tothe top by the same type of snap fasteners that secure the side curtainsto the boat. Although not shown yin any of the views of the appendeddrawing, the inverted U-shaped :frame can be constructed with two lesshinges per frame, though this will naturally cause the-frame to take upmore room and not be as compact when it isy removed from the tracks and[folded for storage when not in use, such as during the winter monthsfor boats that are innorthern waters.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come 'within thespirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fullyillustrated and described my invention, what l now claim to be new anddesire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable top for boats and the like of the character described,comprising at least two inverted U- shaped frames, each frame of whichembodies a pair of spaced vertically mountedtubular posts in the upperend of each one of which is mounted'a tube having a right angle tubehinged thereto, a pair of horizontally disposed tubes each having oneend hinged to one end of one or" said right angle tubes, a pair oftelescoping tubes each having one end slidably mounted in the open endof one of said horizontally disposed tubes, a centrally locatedhorizontally disposed tube hingably secured at each end to the twotelescoping tubes, a mechanism locking the tubes together at the centerthereof, a pair of spaced rails, each one of which has an end viewedconfiguration of a hollow rectangle, one rail being secured to each sideof the deck of the boat and-extending from a pre-determined point nearthe bow of the said boat to a predetermined point near the stern of thesaid boat, mechanism removably connecting the said inverted U-shapedframes to the said rails, and a canvas top having removable sidecurtains placed over the said plurality of inverted U-shaped lframeswhich are mounted in parallel spaced relation along the length of thesaid rails.

2. An adjustable top for boats and the like of the character described,comprising at least two inverted U- shaped frames, each frame of whichembodies a pair of spaced vertically mounted tubular posts in the upperend of eaoh one of which is mounted a tube having a right angle tubehinged thereto, a pair of horizontally disposed tubes each having oneend hinged to one end of one of said right angle tubes, a pair oftelescoping tubes each having one end slidably mounted in the open endof one of said horizontally disposed tubes, a centrally locatedhorizontally disposed tube hingably secured at each end to the twotelescoping tubes, a mechanism in the form of a swingably mounted lockstrap secured to the underside of the one of the telescoping tubesthereby providing means of locking the tubes together at the centerthereof, a pair of spaced rails, each one of which has an end viewed,conguration of a hollow rectangle, one rail being secured to each sideof the decl; of the boat and extending from a pre-determined point nearthe bow of the said boat to a pre-determined point near the stern of thesaid boat, mechanism removably connecting the said inverted U-shapedxframes to the said rails, and a canvas top having removable sidecurtains placed over the said plurality of inverted U-shaped frameswhich are mounted in parallel spaced relation along the length ot thesaid rails.

3. An adjustable top for boats and the like of the characier described,comprising at least two inverted U- shaped frames, each frame of whichembodies a pair of spaced vertically mounted tubular iposts in the upperend of each one of which is mounted a tube having a right angle tubehinged thereto, a pair of horizontally disposed tubes each having oneend hinged to one end of one of said right angle tubes, a pair oftelescoping tubes each having one end slidably mounted in the open endof one of said horizontally disposed tubes, a centrally locatedhorizontally disposed tube hingably secured at cach end to the twotelescoping tubes, a mechanism in the form of a swinga-bly mounted lockstrap secured to the underside o one of the telescoping tubes therebyproviding means of locking the tubes together at the center thereof, apair of spaced rails, each one of which has an end viewed configurationof a hollow rectangle, one rail being secured to each side of the decl:of the boat and eX- tending from a pre-determined point near the bow ofthe said boat to a pre-determined point near the stern of the said boat,mechanism in the form of a pair of carriage bolts, each one of which hasits body screwed into the lowermost end of one of the said tubularposts, to which the said body is locked -by means of a cotter pin, andthe head of lower end of the body of each carriage bolt projectingdownward through a centrally located opening in the horizontallydisposed top of each track, the opening extending the full length ofeach track, a head on the lower end of each said body of each saidcarriage bolt, the head being inside of the hollow track and a nutscrewed on each said body llocking the said tubular post thereto, a wingnut screwed on each said body thereby locking the said carriage bolt andstructure attached thereto to the track, each said carriage boltremovably connectng the said inverted U-s-haped frames to the saidrails, and a canvas top having removable side curtains placed over thesaid plurality of inverted U-shaped frames which are mounted in parallelspaced relation along the length of the said rails.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,733,953 2/56Nenadal l35-7.1 2,829,660 4/58 Vsester et al. 135-6 2,859,710 l1/58Elsner 248-298 2,960,993 l l/6O Ho-imstrom 135-7.l

OTHER REFERENCES Publication I: Taylor catalogue, Jan. 20, i960, 24pages, only page 14 relied upon. (Copy available in Group 420, Class13S/6.)

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

1. AN ADJUSTABLE TOP FOR BOATS AND THE LIKE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO INVERTED USHAPED FRAMES, EACH FRAME OF WHICH EMBODIES A PAIR OF SPACED VERTICALLY MOUNTED TUBULAR POSTS IN THE UPPER END OF EACH ONE OF WHICH IS MOUNTED A TUBE HAVING A RIGHT ANGLE TUBE HINGED THERETO, A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TUBES EACH HAVING ONE END HINGED TO ONE END OF ONE OF SAID RIGHT ANGLE TUBES, A PAIR OF TELESCOPING TUBES EACH HAVING ONE END SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN THE OPEN END OF ONE OF SAID HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TUBES, A CENTRALLY LOCATED HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED TUBE HINGABLY SECURED AT EACH END TO THE TWO TELESCOPING TUBES, A MECHANISM LOCKING THE TUBES TOGETHER AT THE CENTER THEREOF, A PAIR OF SPACED RAILS, EACH ONE OF WHICH HAS AN END VIEWED CONFIGURATION OF A HOLLOW RECTANGLE, ONE RAIL BEING SECURED TO EACH SIDE OF THE DECK OF THE BOAT AND EXTENDING FROM A PRE-DETERMINED POINT NEAR THE BOW OF THE SAID BOAT TO A PREDETERMINED POINT NEAR THE STERN OF THE SAID BOAT, MECHANISM REMOVABLY CONNECTING THE SAID INVERTED U-SHAPED FRAMES TO THE SAID RAILS, AND A CANVAS TOP HAVING REMOVABLE SIDE CURTAINS PLACED OVER THE SAID PLURALITY OF INVERTED U-SHAPED FRAMES WHICH ARE MOUNTED IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SAID RAILS. 